The middle installment in a respected British scholar's study of ethics as theology

This is the second of three volumes in Oliver O'Donovan's masterful "Ethics as Theology" project. In his first volume — Self, World, and Time — O'Donovan discusses Christian ethics as an intellectual discipline in relation to the humanities, especially philosophy, theology, and behavioral studies, and in relation to the Christian gospel.

In Finding and Seeking O'Donovan traces the logic of moral thought from self-awareness to decision through the virtues of faith, hope, and love. Blending biblical, historico-theological, and contemporary ideas in its comprehensive survey, this second volume continues O'Donovan's splendid study in ethics as theology and adds significantly to his previous theoretical reflection on Christian ethics.

Religious Studies Review“O’Donovan guides the reader through his philosophical positions, firmly rooted in the Reformed tradition. His approach is erudite and requires some intellectual inquiry to extract the full benefit of his thought. I found his chapter on Wisdom and Time to be particularly insightful. Both concepts have the capacity to strain one’s meditative abilities, and O’Donovan takes a complicated subject and makes it understandable.”

John Webster— University of St. Andrews"A work of the greatest distinction — possessing intellectual poise and scope in equal measure, penetrating in its analysis, elegantly economical in its style, authoritative in its judgments."

Richard B. Hays— Duke Divinity School"This profound book should not be read quickly; each paragraph demands and rewards sustained, self-reflective meditation. Oliver O'Donovan's incisive reflections, deeply grounded in Scripture and in the classic traditions of Christian theology, summon us to find ourselves situated in world and time in such a way that we can begin the task of seeking the promised kingdom of God."

Robert J. Song— Durham University"Like O'Donovan's earlier Self, World, and Time, this is a richly rewarding and luxuriantly textured meditation on the nature of practical reason, theologically understood. It is mature reflection, drawing on deep reading of Scripture, wide knowledge of the tradition, and a lifetime of fine-witted observation. What emerges is not only an entirely fresh and seamlessly integrated account of the forming of moral purpose, but a brilliant and extended apologia for the distinctiveness of Christian ethics itself."

Gilbert Meilaender— Valparaiso University"Architectonic in structure and richly developed in conversation with many strands of Christian tradition, this is a learned and mature work that deserves the careful reading it also demands."

John Hare— Yale Divinity School"Oliver O'Donovan's Finding and Seeking is characteristically learned and well written, but it is more than this. It is a fresh reading of the gospel for our current situation. O'Donovan has penetrating insight, like Kierkegaard, into the temptations that are endemic to our culture, and he has the skill of giving acute and vivid examples, in which we recognize ourselves unexpectedly. Only when we see the disease can we start to see the remedy."

Gerard den Hertog— Theological University Apeldoorn"Rich and challenging. . . . Far from being a summary of the author's already known ideas, this is a provocative wake-up call for ethics in general and Christian ethics specifically. We can only ignore this book at great loss to ourselves and the urgent discussions of our times."

Choice"Always aware of the application of moral thought in leading a moral life, O'Donovan provides an almost endless set of trenchant insights on the various dimensions of moral theology." ". . . . Recommended."

Theology"To read Finding and Seeking is to sit with a wise, compassionate and toughminded spiritual director through a meditation on the business of gaining a self. This is a profound, pastoral, almost parental preparation for Christian action in the world. We owe O'Donovan a great debt of gratitude for this book."

Theological Studies"O'Donovan is recognized as a leading — perhaps the leading — figure today in evangelical ethics. . . . In this volume, [he] develops three major points. He discusses the moral self as an agent responding in faith to the summons of God, the self as an awakened agent practically engaging life in this created world, and the self in light of the not-yet-future realized in the moment of action, with emphasis on deliberation and discernment. . . . All should recognize the important contribution O'Donovan has made to evangelical ethics."